Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is essential for meeting global climate targets, and investment in nature-based solutions (NbS) like soil carbon sequestration is gaining traction. By improving agricultural practices, soil can store more carbon–combating global warming while enhancing biodiversity, increasing crop yields, and improving water retention.

Soil is one of the world’s largest carbon sinks, holding more carbon than the atmosphere and vegetation combined. Plants absorb CO₂ from the air through photosynthesis, transferring carbon into the soil via roots and decaying biomass. However, industrial farming practices—such as deep tillage, monocropping, and burning crop residues—have degraded soil and released stored carbon back into the atmosphere.

By shifting to regenerative agriculture—which includes practices like cover cropping, reduced tillage, and agroforestry—farmers can rebuild soil carbon stocks and restore degraded land.

The case for soil carbon credits

Soil carbon removal offers a cost-effective and scalable way for companies to offset emissions. Soil carbon credits typically range from $15–$50 per tonne, making them one of the more affordable carbon removal solutions. Plus, they deliver co-benefits beyond carbon, such as improved soil fertility, water conservation, and economic support for farming communities.

Meet the soil carbon projects

Opna works with leading project developers who are scaling soil carbon sequestration globally.

Varaha - Regenerative agriculture, India

Operating across seven Indian states and 2 million hectares, Varaha’s Indo-Gangetic Plains project helps farmers adopt sustainable practices such as direct seeding, crop rotation, and reduced tillage. These techniques:

Restore degraded soil
Improve crop yields
Reduce methane emissions from rice farming

📍 Impact so far: 51,000+ farmers onboarded, 1.2 million tonnes of carbon sequestered.

Cultivo – Soil carbon, Africa & the Americas

Cultivo works across the U.S., Latin America, and Africa, focusing on restoring degraded land through regenerative agriculture and agroforestry. By using advanced MRV (Measurement, Reporting, and Verification) technology, Cultivo ensures credible, high-quality soil carbon removals.

📍 Impact: Scaling projects to remove millions of tonnes of CO₂ while increasing biodiversity and resilience.

Cultivo regenerative agriculture soil carbon

Challenges and innovations

One of the biggest hurdles in soil carbon removal is accurate measurement and verification. Carbon storage in soil varies depending on soil type, climate, and farming practices. To address this, projects are using:

✅ Satellite and AI-powered monitoring to track soil carbon levels.
✅ Soil sampling & spectroscopy for precise measurement.
✅ Digital registries & blockchain to ensure credit integrity.

With these innovations, soil carbon markets are becoming more transparent and accessible for businesses looking to invest.

Soil carbon as part of your climate strategy

For companies looking to invest in affordable, high-impact, nature-based carbon removal, soil carbon sequestration is an attractive solution. By supporting high-integrity projects, businesses can reduce their carbon footprint while driving positive environmental and social impact.

At Opna, we connect businesses with trusted soil carbon projects that align with their sustainability goals. Get in touch at hi@opna.earth to learn how soil carbon can be part of your net-zero strategy.